mills



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1."

, M. B. -&.P. W. MIL LS.

GATE. v

Patented Apr. 17,1888.

, .v UNITED STAT S.

MORTIMER B. MILLS AND FRANK W. Mints, or CHICAGO, ILL MOIs, As-

SIGNORS TO THE MILLS RAILROAD GA COMPANY, OF SAME P CE;

G TEQ' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,159, dated Ap'r'n 17, 1888.-

Application filed September 17, 1887. Serial $111,249,948, I (No model.)

To all whom it may concern! Be it knownthat we Mon'riMER B. MILLs and FRANK W. MILLS, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook,

and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention .relates to an improvement in the class of gates used most commonlyat the crossings of railroad-tracks, andcomprising posts supporting swinging arms connected together in a manner to cause both arms to rise or fall together and uniformly to open and close the gate, thereby preventing wind, or 1 friction of the parts, and the like, from exerting any effect in the way of obstructing the rise or descent of one bar while it hastens that of the other.

Our improvement when applied to gates of the foregoing class relates more particularly to theunderground tie for each pair of swinging bars constituting agate, whereby they are actuatedsimultaneousl'y and uniformly for the purpose stated, and to the means for actuating the bars to raise and lower them. i v The objects of our invention are to provide simple and effective underground mechanism for operating the bar or bars, which shall be proof against the access to the movable parts of moisture, which, if it wereto gain access,

mechanism for actuating the bell-crank to 0p- 5 .erate the bar. V 1 I It further consists in details of construction and combinations of parts, as'hereinafter more fully set forth..

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a broken sec{ tional elevation of our improved gate, show ing the fluid-pressure pump, forming one means actuating the striker of an adjacent gong; Fig.

would be liable to freeze in. cold weather and volve.

of operation, detached," and a hand-lever,

forming another meansof operation, in dotted lines; Fig. 2, a broken view of one end 'of a swinging-gate barv provided with means -'for 3, a broken perspective view showing the gongand construction of striker to enable it to be actuated intermittinglyby studs projecting in a row from the rearend of a' gate-bar; Fig. 4, an enlarged broken sectional view showing the diaphragmform of device, one ofthe Y bell-cranks, and underground connection-incased in their relative operative positions; Fig. 5 a sectiontaken'on the line 5 of- Fig.4 6 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6, a broken sectional view of a detail; Fig. 7;,a section taken on the line I of Fig.6 and viewed in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 8, a broken" plan view of another detailyand Fig.9, adia- 7a grammatic view,showing the arrangement of the levers, (when used for actuatingvthe gatebars,) of two gates on opposite sides of a crossing to bring the levers into convenient position for handling from one point of operation.

d A and A are the gate-posts, each formed intwo vertical parts planted in theground,vand

between which thegatebars B and Bf, of ordinary construction, are pivotally supported in the usualmanner. I the ground, respectively adjacent to the posts ,A and A and Onrelativelyopposite sides thereof, are boxes affording chambers Q and 0, preferably, though of course; not necessarily, of the form shown, the upper contracted 8 I ends ofwhich extendto the surface and are p provided with removable covers 1', the removal of which permits access to thechambers and mechanism hereinafter described "con-. tained within them, and the securing ofwhich go in position renders them water-tigha'suitable packingbeing provided, if required, between the covers and the edges of the boxes upon which they are secured. The two boxes 0 and G areconnected together to 'communicate by a sectional conduit,D, (preferably metal 'pi-pe,) I

which enters adjacent sides of the boxes and is embedded in the ground, and between the sections of conduit isa box, D, containing a grooved pulley, q, supported th'crein'tora Ioo At the chambers 0 and O. areibellcrank levers E and E, supported at their all- Below the surface of So gles upon rock-shaftsp, extending transversely across the chambers near their upper ends and having their bearings in the opposite sides of,

the chambers. Corresponding arms, 0, of the levers E and E project from outside the chambers horizontally, or nearly so, toward the posts A and A and extend between the verti cal parts forming the latter, where they are pivotally connected with the lower ends of links 11. and n, pivoted at their upper ends to the bars B and B at corresponding sides of the axes of the latter, below and behind the axes, as shown, or above and forward of them, if preferred. The opposite arms, 0, of the levers E and E, which are entirely within the chambers on the shafts 19, extend through slots Z, formed vertically through boxes m, into opposite ends of which sections ofa rod, F, extend to support them, and the rod F, which is preferably gas-pipe, having its sections connectcd by the boxes on to render it practically continuous, is sustained within the conduitD, upon the pulley q in the box D, and passes between guide-pulleys q, supported one above the other in pairs, respectively, in the chambers O and 0 near the adjacentopenings therein, at which the opposite ends of the conduit D enter them.

Gis ahousing buried in the ground to a depth which causes its upper end, provided with a removable cover, 70, to be flush with the surface, the housing being water-proof when the cover is secured in position, and a short section of the conduit D afl'ords communication between the housing G and chamber E.

H is a collapsible receiverin the form of a bowl-shaped base, h, supported in vertical position in the housing G and covered byaflexible diaphragm, h, bolted around its edge to that of the base h in a manner to render airtight the space covered by it, and the rod F the plates and diaphragm being compressed tightly together and held between the heads of the bolts and nuts f on their ends. The collapsible receiver H communicates through its rear side by a pipe, 0, with a fluid-pump, I, located in convenient position.

As described, the operation of our device is as follows: The pump I is of the construction which on turning a four-way cock, d, to pro duce communication of the pipe 0, containing an upwardly-opening check-valve, c, with the pipe 0, and of the outer air with the pipe 0, containing a downwardly opening checkvalve, 0, causes air on actuating the pumphandle to enter through the cock d and be forced into the collapsible receiver A by way of the pipes c, c, and e. As shown to be constructed, the bars B and B are thereby lowered, since the diaphragm h is expanded and forces the rod F to cause the slotted boxes m to turn the arms 0 of the bell-cranks E and E in the direction toward the post A, thereby raising the opposite arms of the bell-cranks and with them the links n and n, the pressure of which against their pivots on the gate-bars lowers the latter. To raise the bars, the rod F and arms 0 and 0 of the bell-cranks must be moved in the opposite direction, which we accomplish in using the receiver mechanism H, by exhausting the air previously introduced into it to lower the bars, whereby the diaphragm is collapsed and pulls the rod F in the direction of its collapse, the plate 9 preventing the diaphragm from being torn from the plate 9 by the force of the vacuum. The exhausting operation of the pump I is produced by turning the cock d to open communication between the pipe 0 and the open air and of the pipe 0 with the pipe e, whereby the air in the hausted through the pipes e, c, and a into space. The courses of the fluid to and from the collapsible receiver H are respectively indicated in Fig. 1 by full and dotted arrows.

K is a gong supported on the inner side ofa vertical part of a post, A, upon which isalso secured the striker K, comprising a flatstrip of springy metal, b, secured to the postat one end and bent to follow the outline of aportion of the periphery of the gong, being'braced by a pin, 1), and carrying a striker-head, b", near its free end, just behind a beveled notch, b, cut into one edge of the spring, which forms the handle of the striker. On the rear portion of the gate-bar B is a row of studs, a, in line to engage successively with the spring bwhile the gate-bar is being swung, when the studs pass, one after the other, under the free end of the spring I), to raise the striker-head b, and, clearing the spring at the notch b release it, which causes it by its resilience to force the head If, against the gong and sound the latter by a violent stroke. By these means a gong, besides being provided in a most convenient position, is sounded by simple automatic mechanism with rapidly-repeated and violent strokes, which enable the alarm to be heard at a considerable distance from the gate.

receiver H will. by actuating the pump be ex- While I have shown and described, and also prefer ordinarily to use, a collapsible receiver for actuating the mechanism of our gate to raise and lower the bars, it is quite obviousso obvious that it is not deemed necessary to illustrate it--that a cylinder containing a piston having its rod connected with or forming part of the rod F would also be operative in performing our purpose, and such a device is intended to be included as within the spirit of our invention. Whichever the form of device used, it will be seen that it operates by alternate pressure and exhaust, thereby avoiding the requirement of two collapsible re oeivers or pistons and cylinders, each for pressure in an opposite direction. We may, however, operate our improved gate without fluid-pressure mechanism by means of a lever,

L, upon the end of the rock-shaft p of a bellcrank, asindicated in Fig.1. Where agate like that described, is provided on 'each'side of a railroad crossing, and levers L are employed to operate them, the rock-shaft p of a bell-crank of one gate may be extended be lowthe surface of the ground, as shown in .Fig. 9, into proximity torthat of the other gate carrying a lever, L, whereby both levers are in convenient position with relation to each other to permit the operation of both from the same point; This means'of operation is not broadly new, however, as a gate has already been patented in which. two vertically-swinging gate-bars have bell-cranks connected'from corresponding arms with the rear ends of the,

gate-bars, and connected together from their opposite arms to cause the movement of one,

bell-crank to raise or lower one bar, to move other bar, the movements of the bell-cranks being effected through the medium of a lever on one of them. 3

When fluidpressure is used to operate two or more gates, as last described, the collapsible receiver or piston and cylinder mechanism 1 of each should communicate with the same pump, at which both gates may be controlledsimultaneously or independently by means of suitable cocks; C

Where a single bar is used to form thegate, as is sometimesthe case at narrow crossings,

the mechanism shown at the right in Fig. 1 may be used alone, when the opening in the chamber 0, for the conduit D at the left of the chamber, would be closed.

What We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1 I 1. In a gate, the combination ofa swinging bar, a pivotally-supported bell-crank having theother simultaneously to raise or lower the tight casing, and its other arm outside-the said casing, and connected with the bar to oneside of its axis, and a collapsible receiver, H', having its diaphragm connected with the incased 5 arm of the bell-crank bya horizontal rod,and communicating with a fluid-pump, I, substan-' tiallyasdescribed. a 1

bar, a pivotally supported bell crank connected from one arm with the bar to one side of its axis, and having its opposite arm inclosed in .a water. tight casing, a collapsible receiver, H, communicating with a fluid-pump, I, and having platesgan'd g on opposite sides 5 of its diaphragm, and a rod,.F, connecting the vplate g with the inclosedarm of the bell-crank, substantially as described. I

3. Ina gate, the combination of two swing,-

and C, an underground housing, G, an u nderground conduit, D, connecting the chambers andhousing, bell'cranks E and E", pivotally 7 supported at the saidchambers, and their arms 0 and 0, respectively, outside and within the said chambers, and having their arms 0 connected with the bars to corresponding sides of the axes thereof, a collapsible receiver, 11,; in'the housing G, communicatingwith a fluid pump,- I, and a rod, F, extendingthrough the chambersand conduit D, connecting the diaf phragm of the collapsible receiver withsthe In presence of---v J. W. DYRENFORTH,

CHAS. E.- G-oRToN.

one arm ,inclo sed injan undergronndwater:

2. In a gate, the combination of a swinging" 1 ing bars, B and B, underground chambers '0 arms 0 of "the bell-crank, substantially as dc V MORTIMER B. MILLs. 

